Hydraulic dredge



No. 623,804. Patented Apr. 25, I899. B. H. MUEHLE. HYDRAULIC DREDGE.

(Application filed Dec. 6, 1897.)

(No Model.)

I N VEJVTOR;

WITNESSES NITE TATES f ATENT Fries.

HYDRAULIC 'DREDGE.

sPE'cIFIoA'rIor': forming part of Letters Patent No. 623,804, dated April 25, 1899. Application filed December 6, 1897. Serial No. 660,931. (No model.)

To all whmn it mic/,3! concern: Be it known that I, BERNARD HUGO MUEHLE, a citizen of the United States, residing in the city of Detroit, in the county of Wayne and State of Michigan, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Dredges, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates more particularly to certain improvements in hydraulic dred gin gmachines used for removing sand and other material from the bottoms of rivers and lakes by means of a suitable excavating device, as through a suction-tube, onto and beyond a floating hull or vessel by means of a rotary or other pump; and the objects of my invention are, first, the application and use of one or more traction-wheels traveling on' the river-bottom and connected with the dredge machinery for the purpose of propelling the dredge-boat and moving the suction-pipe in any desired direction; second, the combination and arrangement of one or more tractionwheels connected with one end of the dredgehull and an axial spud at the other end, so

that the dredge-hull may be propelled and.

the cutting edge or mouth'of the suction-pipe be introduced into the material to be dredged on the arc of a circle the center of which is the point of the axial spud, and, third, providing a suitable mechanism for revolving the traction-wheels which may be operated and connected with steam-power on the dredge-boat.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l is a perspective View of a dredge, showing the general features of my invention; Fig. 2 is a front elevation of a spud, traction-wheel, and operating mechanism. Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the same. Fig. 4is a rear elevation of the'same. Fig. 5 is a horizontal section of the spud on line 1 2; and Fig. 6 is a horizontal section on line 3 4, the top View of the operating mechanism.

Similar letters refer to similar parts in each of the figures.

The stern or rear portion of the dredge-hull A is preferably constructed in two separated parts, so as to form a narrowlongitudinal recess or opening B, and the opposite end or bow is provided with a vertical spud or anchoring device 0.

D is the suction-tube, shown connected with the pump on the Vessel by means of a low the end of the hull.

flexible joint d, which permits the suction end or mouth of the tube to be let down between the walls of the recess or opening, so

that when adjusted in its lowest possible position on the river-bottom it will benearly be- The suction-tube should fit snugly within the opening, so that when the stern of the d redge is moved or swung sidewise the tube will move with it.

Fig. 1 of the drawings shows upon each side of the opening B at the stern of the vessel a spud E, usually made of square timber, which is held perpendicularly between adj ustably-flanged guide-rollers e c or their equivalents. Each spud may be raised by means of a rack and pinion or other suitable device, which permits it to drop down by its own weight when required and to freely rise and fall within its bearings.

A traction-wheel F is hung in a frame g, bolted to the lower end of the spud. The projections f upon the outer face or circumference of the wheel may be made of any shape or size which will insure their penetration into or taking firm hold of the bottom of the river, and for this purpose traction-wheels especially designed for either sand bottom, gravel, clay, or other material should be kept on hand on board of the dredge and put into use as occasion requires. The face of each traction-wheel should be tangential to the arc of a circle the center of which is the point of the. spud O, so that when the wheels are revolved by means of the mechanism hereinafter described the stern of the dredge is propelled with a circular motion around the spud 0, thereby forcing the suction end of the tube lying on the bottom into the bank of the material to be dredged,

The mechanism for revolving the tractionwheels consists in a spur-wheel H and pinion h or their equivalents, the former secured to or forming part of the wheel F and the latter keyed upon a counter-shaft carrying a chain wheel or pulley K, all of which parts are supported upon the frame g. An endless chain or cable L connects the pulley K with a similar wheel k at the extreme upper end of the spud E. Each of the perpendicular reaches of this endless chain is woundonce around a drum on each side of the spud. These drums on and m revolve freely each around its shaft, the latter having their bearings on a framework 11 bolted to and overhanging the edge of the deck of the dredge. Each drum is bolted to a spur-wheel p p, which is geared to a pinion r 0-, the latter revolving loosely upon the shaft 0. This shaft carries a pulley q and fiy-wheel q and is connected by means of a chain, belt, cable, or other suitable device with the main shaft of the engine which operates the pump or that of an auxiliary engine located below the shaft 0 in the hold of the dredge at to. Between the pinions r '2" the shaft 0 also carries a clutch S, which is operated by means of a lever t and, sliding upon a feather, revolves with the shaft. \Vhen the lever is held perpendicular, as shown in Fig. 4, and the clutch is in contact with neither of the pinions on the shaft 0, the spud E may be raised, while the endless chain L causes the drums on in, spur-wheels 1), and pinions "r o" to revolve in one direction, or the spud maybe lowered until the traction-wheel rests on the riverbottom, this downward movement causing the drums, spur-wheels, and pinions to revolve freely in the opposite direction. After the spud and traction-wheel have reached the bottom, the axial spud C dropped into position, and the suction end of the tube D adjusted at the necessary level to insure the required depth of excavation in the proposed channel the pum1' ing-engine is started, and in order to force the suction end of the tube into the bank of material to be dredged the stern of the dredge is moved laterally, swinging around the axial spud C in the following manner:

The operator having first connected the shaft with the motive power, so as to revolve the shaft and the clutch S, he then moves the lever t so that the clutch comes into contact and unites with the pinion 7. R0- tary motion and power are thus transmitted through the spur-wheel p, drum in, endless chain or cable L, pulley K, and gearing II it to the traction-wheel I in such manner that the revolution of this wheel upon the bottom of the river causes the dredge-hull, and with it the suction-tube D, to be propelled in the desired direction while the excavation by the suction through the tube is in progress in the usual and well-known manner. Thus the river-bottom is leveled to the required depth on the are of a circle the center of which is the point of the spud C. \Vhen the suction end of the tube 1) has reached the limit of the proposed channel width, the operator reverses the lever t, bringing the clutch into contact with the pinion '7", thereby transmitting power through the spur-wheel p, drum m, endless rope or chain L, pulley K, and gearing If 71. to the traction-wheel F, so as to propel the dredge and move the suction end of the tube D in the opposite direction.

Although it is expected that the weight of the spud IE will be sufficient to secure the necessary penetration of the projections upon the traction-wheel and cause the latter to take a firm hold on the river-bottom, yet the operation of the mechanism above described is such that the transmission of power thro ugh the endless rope or chain, no matter which of the drums m m is revolved for that purpose, will produce a downward strain upon the endless rope or chain L, which strain is greater or less as the power required to propel the traction-wheel and move the dredge-hull or to force the suction-tube into the bank of material to be dredged is either increased or di-' minished. I

The diameters of the spur-wheels 11,1), and p and the pinions h, r, and 0' should be-so proportioned that the high speed of the driving-shaft O is transmitted through this gearing, so as to produce the necessarily slow revolution of the traction-wheel and the power required to force the suction-tube into the material to be dredged. To that end an ad ditional train of gear-wheels may be inter posed, if necessary, either upon the spud E or between the shafts O and the drums on m, or both.

A pair of small propeller-wheels w are hung upon horizontal shafts projecting from the stern of the dredge and connected by means of a clutch arrangement or other device with the main driving-shaft of the engine. These wheels are used for propelling the dredge, placing it in position, and aiding, when necessary, in making the regular shifts of the dredge-hull along the axis of the proposed dredge-cut.

The operation of my improved dredge herewith shown and described is as follows: All the spuds being'raised and the suction-tube adjusted in a horizontal position, the dredge is alloat and may be propelled by means of the stern -wheels w to the place where the channel is to be deepened. When the bow has reached the initial point in the axis of the proposed channel, .the spud O is dropped to the bottom of the river, so that the sharp point penetrates the soil sufficient to hold that end of the dredge-hull firmly in place. Then the latter is swung around into alinement with the axis of the channel, the spuds permitted to slide to the bottom, and the suction-tube lowered and adjusted so that its mouth is on the level of the grade to which the channel is to be excavated. The pump being started, excavation of the material is commenced. The operator then moves the lever 15 so as to connect the clutch S with either of the pinions r or r, thereby revolving the traction-wheels F and moving the dredge laterally, forcing the suction-tube into the material to be d redged,as hereinabove described, on the are of a circle the center of which is the spud C. After one of the side lines or limitofthe proposed channelhas beenreached the motion of the dredge and suction-tube is reversed and the other half of the channel excavated in like manner. In order to make the next concentric dredge-cut, the dredge is moved along the axis of the channel after raising all the spuds by propelling the vessel in the desired direction the required distance and again dropping the spuds to the bottom. In rivers where there is a current and where it is found to be expedient to work downstream the dredge may be held by an anchor, as shown in Fig. 1, and the anchor chain or cable slackened and paid out the required length; but in still water a few revolutions of the wheels W will answer the same purpose. In both cases it will be advisable to use a trailing spud to prevent a lateral movement of the bow of the vessel.

My improvements as applied in the construction of the smaller class of dredges may be modified by omitting the recess or opening 13 and suspending the suction-tube along the side of the vessel, by using but one spud E with traction-wheel and its operating mechanism at the stern, and by. substituting for the spud O and trailer at the bow of the dredge another spud E with a traction-wheel which may be turned so as to move the dredge along the axis of the proposed channel.

The advantages of my invention consist, mainly, in economical construction and simplicity of operation. movements of the stern of the dredge around a pivotal spud at the bow a greater width of channel may be dredged to grade at each forward shift of the dredge along its axis, said width being limited only to twice the distance between the pivotal spud and the mouth of the suction-tube. There being no side lines leading to anchors or other fixed points the method now used for holding dredges in positionwork can be carried on without obstruction to navigation in at least one-half of the channel being dredged, and if the 'material is deposited in du mp-scows, which may be placed at the bow of the dredge, then the channel on either side of the dredge may be used by passing vessels alternately while the channel improvement is in progress. The lateral movement of both dredge and mouth of suction-tube, by means of the tractionwheels traveling on the river-bottom after it has been leveled, may readily be controlled and its speed regulated by an attendant on board of the dredge. Both the lateralmovement,as well as the regular shifts of the dredge along the axis of the channel, may be made without interrupting the work of excavation.

lVhile I have shown and described my invention as relating more particularly to a hydraulic dredge, it is evident that the same is also applicable to elevator and other forms of dredges.

Having fully described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure byLetters Patent of the United States, is-

1. A dredge-hull provided with an upright By means of the lateral.

spud at or near one end, and a traction-wheel carried by said spud, said traction-wheel constructed and arranged to travel on the river or analogous bottom transversely of said hull,

whereby the end of the dredge-hull to which the traction-wheel is engaged may be moved laterally, substantially as set forth.

2. A dredge-hull provided with an anchor ing device at one end, and with an upright spud at ornear the opposite end of the hull, a traction-wheel carried by said spud arranged to travel on the river or analogous bottom, and means to cause said tractionwheel to travel transversely of the hull, whereby the end of the dredge-hull to which the traction-Wheel is engaged may be moved laterally, substantially as set forth.

3. A dredge-hull provided with a pivotal spud located at or near one end of the hull and spuds located at or near the opposite end of the hull provided .with traction-wheels arranged to travel on the river or analogous bottom transversely of said hull, whereby the hull may be moved laterally about the pivotal spud, substantially as described.

4. A dredge-hull provided with an anchoring device locatedat or near one end of the hull, a traction-wheel located at or near the opposite end of the hull arranged to travel on the river or analogous bottom, means to cause said wheel to travel transversely of said hull, whereby the dredge-hull may be moved laterally, and an excavating device located at or near the end of the hull carrying the traction-wheel, substantially as described.

5. A dredge-hull provided with a pivotal spud located at or near one end thereof, and with additional vertically-adjustable spuds located at or near the opposite end of the hull provided with traction-wheels arranged to travel on the river or analogous bottom transversely of the hull, and means to actuate said wheels, substantially as described.

6. A hydraulic dredge having a verticallyadjustable suction-tube D,and m ovin g around a pivotal spud C by means of one or more traction-wheels F upon spuds E, substantially as herein described.

I 7. The combination of the spud E, tractionrope or chain L, drums m, m, gearingp, 19

and r, r and clutch S, all parts arranged and operating, substantially as herein described.

BERNARD HUGO MUEHLE.

WVitnesses:

SYLVANUS PALMER, B. G. A. LAITNER. 

